1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to steps. More particularly, it relates to a step having a stored position under a kitchen counter and a deployed configuration where it extends from said kitchen counter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Only tall people can easily access cupboards positioned above kitchen countertops. The top shelves in such cupboards are reachable only by the very tall. Thus, almost everyone has difficulty in reaching the back part of the uppermost shelf in a kitchen cupboard.
Several patents have been awarded for steps that are stored under a kitchen counter when not in use and which are easily deployed out from under the counter when needed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,342 to Boykin discloses a retractable step having an additional step stored therein.
There remains a need for further development in this field, however, because some of the earlier designs are mechanically complex and thus expensive to manufacture, some of the earlier designs are difficult to deploy, and some of them are difficult to reconfigure for storage purposes.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the limitations of the earlier devices could be overcome.